August 31, 2020 by The Independent Florida Alligator

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MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2020

VOLUME 115 ISSUE 1

Published by Campus Communications, Inc. of Gainesville, Florida

Not officially associated with the University of Florida

Midtown reopens to smaller crowds

MIDTOWN’S SOCIALLYDISTANCED BARS DROVE STUDENTS AWAY BY 10 P.M.

By Ariana Aspuru and Lianna Hubbard Alligator Staff Writers

Lauren Witte, Samantha Harrison, Shannon Ahern & Aubrey Bocalan // Alligator Staff

Complaints over lax COVID-19 protocols at Shands SEVERAL UF STUDENTS AND PARENTS REPORTED OVERCROWDING, LAX SCREENING AND UNCLEANLINESS IN THE EMERGENCY WAITING ROOM SATURDAY

Thomas Weber Alligator Staff Writer

Emily Weingarten checked into UF Health Shands Emergency waiting room Saturday at about 6 p.m. with nausea, fatigue, a high fever and fear of appendicitis.

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT No fans in stands

Sportsdescription Story fans are struggling finish with psychologically comma, pg# with limited attendance at college sporting events due to COVID-19, pg. 15

She didn’t leave until 4 a.m., and she never saw a doctor. The 21-year-old said in the 10 hours she waited to be seen, she never saw anyone clean anything in the waiting room, despite the night-long revolving door of patients entering and leaving. However, the UF business management senior said she did see people overcrowding, coughing near one another and tossing social distancing signs on the ground.

SEE SHANDS, PAGE 4

Midtown reopened to dozens of bar-hoppers at night on Aug. 28, but socially-distanced dance floors, reduced-capacity bars and long waits frustrated students and drove many away. Bars and restaurants in Midtown and downtown are usually packed with hundreds of students. On Aug. 28, though, downtown bars stayed closed and Midtown spaces opened their doors along with social distancing and mask requirements. After filling up the reduced-capacity bars, students left the lines by 10:30 p.m. and got into Ubers and Lyfts to search for a good time somewhere else. As of July 2, Alachua County prohibited gatherings of more than 50 people in a space that does not allow for social distancing. Additionally, groups of any number of people not social distancing could be asked to disperse by law enforcement. In June, bars were allowed to reopen at 50% capacity with groups at least six feet apart. Businesses like Fat Daddy’s and The Social required masks to enter the buildings. Patrons at Fat Daddy’s were not wearing masks when seated at their tables, which were spaced six feet apart. There was no visible University Police or Gainesville Police presence on the scene. Midtown sits directly across from UF dorms and Library West. On-campus parties will not be tolerated in Fall, UF Vice President of Student Affairs D’Andra Mull wrote in an email to students. Almost 11,000 people have died from COVID-19 in Florida as of Sunday, according to the Florida Department of Health. The lines outside of bars lasted from around 9 p.m. to 10 p.m and had little to no social distancing. Fat Daddy’s line had markers

Opinions are back in The Alligator

UF President Kent Fuchs addresses the student body in his monthly column, pg. 9

Protests march in Gainesville

Dan Mullen, UF athletes among protestors at Aug. 28 march, pg. 5

on the ground spaced six feet apart, but didn’t require individual patrons to stand six feet apart. Instead groups of bar-goers were meant to socially distance using the markers. Some bars had the option of taking their drinks and food togo. The Social packaged its meals in to-go boxes and JJ’s Tavern sold to-go rum buckets. Claudia Girard, a 20-year-old UF civil engineering junior, waited in the parking lot for her friend to pick up JJ’s to-go rum buckets. “We don’t wanna be a part of all of that, no way,” she said, referring to the crowd wanting to drink indoors. Roberto Koeneke, a 34-yearold UF food and research economics graduate student, moved to Gainesville about two weeks ago from Orlando and decided to go out at night on Aug. 28 before his classes started. It was his first time going to Midtown, and he hoped to meet a few people, even though he planned to keep his blue surgical face mask on the entire night. Alisha Hoath, a 22-year-old summer FAU art alumna, moved to Gainesville with her boyfriend a few months ago. She said she only took her mask off to take a sip and hopes others out that night would do the same. Not everyone at Midtown that night was searching for a way into the bars. Destiny Valdez, a 20-year-old UF international studies senior, went to the bar block as part of a group of eight street preachers to talk to the bar patrons about Jesus. She said she’s been preaching in Midtown for about a year. “Before the pandemic, people were really in your face and all over you. Now it’s changed,” she said. “There’s less people, there’s less people around, people are less open to talking.” Valdez didn’t wear her mask while talking with others, but said she would if they were uncomfortable. She also said preaching

SEE COVID-19, PAGE 4

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“Younger voters are behind the eight ball to begin with, and COVID is just going to make it worse,” said Daniel Smith, a professor and chair of political science at the University of Florida, who has studied mail-in balloting.

Sunday's Top AP Headlines Chadwick Boseman's death leaves saddening mark on rough 2020 Kobe Bryant. Rep. John Lewis. And now, Chadwick Boseman. So far, 2020 has been marred with bad news and tragedy with the deaths of several popular Black icons including Bryant, Lewis and recently Boseman, who died Friday. All three were viewed as leaders in their respective fields of sports, politics and film — places where people, particularly in the Black community, have often looked for inspiration during a year of racial tension and protests against the police brutality of unarmed Black people. But for many, the loss of another major figure such as Boseman is taking a toll. The actor, who starred in the blockbuster superhero Marvel film “Black Panther,” shockingly died at the age of 43 in his home in Los Angeles after he privately battled colon cancer for four years. “These are pillars in our community,” Rev. Al Sharpton said. “In times of instability, you depend on pillars. It’s bad enough when there’s a storm outside and you hear the lightning and thunder. It gets worse when the pillars that you’re building and standing on (are) shaking. It’s like they’re chipping away at our foundation. The very building is shaking down, because the things that undergird and protect us from the storms are being removed.” Sharpton called Boseman an important pillar that humanized several Black historical trailblazers in his roles — including color-line breaking baseball star Jackie Robinson, legendary singer James Brown and the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. Boseman's family said he endured “countless surgeries and chemotherapy” while portraying King T’Challa of Wakanda in the Oscar-nominated “Black Panther,” a film that proved a person of color could lead in a successful superhero film. “For him to pass at this time when we are disproportionately affected

by COVID and have all of these attacks by law enforcement, and him being the symbol bringing us to Wakanda, it’s just a blow,” Sharpton said. “To hear that our superhero who projected a positive light was now gone, it was a gut blow.” Voting groups scramble to reach college students in pandemic Chase Gaines wishes he could get more young people in North Carolina to answer their front doors and take his GOP flyer. Rick Hart longs for the days where he would wake up at 6 a.m. to prep for a day of campaigning in the streets of Atlanta to persuade his classmates to elect Democrats. The two college students are on opposite ends of the political universe but facing the same challenge: reaching young voters when campuses are empty and students are scattered across the country. “The pandemic really did hit us significantly," said Hart, an unpaid student volunteer at Morehouse College who was working in Georgia on behalf of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, but is now back at his parents' home in Laurel, Maryland. "The country kind of came to a shut down and we were like, ‘What do we do next?’” Campaigns, advocacy groups and registration organizations say they're still struggling to answer that question — and looking for creative, largely digital, solutions. The coronavirus has forced many colleges to adopt online-only classes, eliminating hopes of large in-person registration drives on campus. Outdoor festivals, sporting events and other public gatherings are canceled, cutting off more easy access to college-age voters. Groups dedicated to rallying young voters have worries that go beyond registrations. With campuses closing, college students are especially transient, causing confusion about whether they should register at their home or school address. The shift to mail voting raises other unexpected hurdles for young voters, including a lack of familiarity with the U.S. Postal Service and even improper cursive penmanship that can lead to rejected votes.

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Census, like Post Office, politicized in election year The postal service isn’t the only staid federal agency to be drawn into a political battle in 2020. Unlike the department charged with delivering mail, however, the U.S. Census Bureau has been here before. It has found itself targeted by politicians repeatedly since it conducted its first nationwide head count in 1790. The reason is obvious: The census determines not only how much federal money each state gets but also how many congressional seats and Electoral College votes. “The census was political from the very beginning and remains so,” former Census Bureau director Kenneth Prewitt wrote in an essay almost two decades ago. “Although the science of measurement is used to complete the task as accurately as possible, the central purpose of the census remains: to shift power from one set of interests to another.” And yet some fear that this year — during a time of historic partisan and cultural divides — the scientific task of measuring the country's population is more at risk than ever of being overtaken by politics. Throughout this year’s census, lawmakers, civil rights groups, states and cities have been engaged in a battle with President Donald Trump's administration as it unsuccessfully tried to add a citizenship question; filled three top positions with political appointees who have limited experience; and issued a directive to exclude residents living illegally in the country when drawing congressional districts. “What this administration has done is unprecedented in breadth and scope,” said Thomas Saenz, who heads the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. “Every decision made about the conduct of the census has been politically infected.” Political interference has real consequences, said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional staffer who specializes in census issues. “Any time political leaders of whatever stripe question data ... try to direct how data are collected, I think it undermines confidence in the agencies and the process,” Lowenthal said. “People are less likely to participate and the quality of the data collected diminishes over time.”

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MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 ALLIGATOR 3

PICK UP YOUR

GATOR CARE KIT To support you in practicing healthy behaviors, UF is providing a drawstring backpack complete with masks, hand sanitizer, a first-aid kit and more.

WHERE TO GET YOUR KIT Gator Care Kits will be available for in-person pick up on campus. A face covering and UF ID are required for pick up.

AUGUST 31 - OCTOBER 2 GatorWell in the Reitz Union Newell Hall Southwest Recreation Center Learn more about how to pick up your Gator Care Kit and about UF’s mask and physical distancing policies at welcome.ufl.edu

4 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020

Student Government announces early voting for elections EARLY VOTING IS A COVID-19 SAFETY PRECAUTION By Lianna Hubbard Alligator Staff Writer

Student Government elections will have early voting for the first time in modern history, but the details of the process remain unclear. Early voting will be in September with students physically dropping paper ballots in secure boxes, said Supervisor of Elections Hayley Price during the Sunday Election Commission meeting. The location and time of early voting are still to be determined. “Regarding safety measures, I will be using suggested practices and guidelines from the University

to make final plans,” she wrote in an email to The Alligator. The Election Commission, a non-partisan division of SG that oversees elections, unanimously approved special rules proposed by Price. The rules passed without questions or comments from the six commission members. The regular election is scheduled for Sept. 2930. Instead of casting their vote at a physical polling station during regular voting, students can request an absentee ballot two weeks prior to the election and cast it through the mail, according to the Student Body 700 Codes. Price’s special rules were proposed to align UF’s voting with local and federal COVID-19 safety guidelines, according to the rules. She wrote she

also made the early voting rule to match UF with local, state and federal voting practices. “Those elections offer an early voting period, so I believe it will be a successful option for students to vote during unprecedented times,” she wrote. These special rules also made the drawing, tabulation and election results’ announcement virtually accessible and allowed candidates to electronically submit eligibility papers and sign their statements. Online voting is still up in the air as a potential option. Mark Merwitzer, a 20-year-old UF political science junior and former Progressive Party treasurer, said during public comment that he supports early voting, but is concerned Price’s early voting rule is too vague.

The SG constitution outlines that elections must occur on Tuesday and Wednesday of the sixth week of the term, according to Article VI, Section 2. But Merwitzer said he is also concerned that the early voting schedule may make the election unconstitutional. Merwitzer submitted a case to the UF Supreme Court Sunday asking justices to review the early voting rule and determine if it was constitutional. “If a lot of people decide to vote early because of COVID I don’t want everyone’s ballot to be thrown away,” he said.

@HubbardLianna lhubbard@alligator.org

Open for business COVID-19, from pg. 1 and connecting with the party-goers can be more difficult with a mask on. “We have smiles, we have facial expressions and we want to show that,” she said. Brandon McKay, a 20-year-old biotechnology junior, closed up the Relish Burger location in Midtown just as his peers were trying to get their nights started. Relish Burger and Pita Pit were both closed by 10 p.m. McKay said that the restaurant had gotten little business over the summer, but attracted many on Aug. 28. The four employees working that night split almost $300 in tips. Although Relish Burgers requires everyone to wear a mask in the restaurant, McKay said he fears Midtown bars could be a source of COVID-19 infections. “I think there’s going to be another outbreak in three weeks and the campus is going to shut down again,” he said. Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff

@HubbardLianna lhubbard@alligator.org

A group of people wait in line at Midtown to enter “Fat Daddy’s,” a bar in Gainesville., on August 28, 2020. This was the bar’s first night reopening for the fall semester.

Shands will address concerns SHANDS, from pg. 1 Of Alachua County’s 138,568 COVID-19 tests, 5,193 people have tested positive according to the county’s dashboard. There were 25 new cases on Aug. 29. In total, the county has seen 33 deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health’s dashboard. Meanwhile, according to UF Health’s dashboard, there have been 28 positive tests among faculty and 49 positive tests among students through the university’s Return-to-Campus-Initiative with positivity rates of 0.23% and 0.44%, respectively. These tests only included people without symptoms, according to the dashboard There have been 196 students who have tested positive at the Student Health Care Center, resulting in a positivity rate of 18.5%. These tests included people with and without symptoms. In July, students and faculty raised concern over an abnormally high positivity rate on UF Health’s dashboard, which implied 25% of UF’s 56,000 students tested positive. However, this number actually reflected the smaller population of symptomatic and asymptom-

atic students tested at the Student Health Care Center. The dashboard has since been updated to reflect this. “Of all places, I thought an emergency room would be a safer place right now for some reason,” Weingarten said. “I thought they’d be extra careful — but it just did not feel like that.” Ken Garcia, UF Health spokesperson, released a statement regarding the complaints saying the hospital will work to address the concerns. “When we become aware of a concern, we work promptly to address it,” Garcia said. “High-quality care and a positive patient experience are our highest priorities.” Some of UF Health’s safety protocols include limiting adult patients to one visitor, screening visitors for symptoms and requiring the use of face masks. Food and flower deliveries have also been eliminated, and the environmental services staff is responsible for “constant thorough cleaning” throughout the hospitals and emergency rooms. But Weingarten said she didn’t see anyone clean anything in the near half day she was there. She also didn’t see any hand-sanitizing stations.

The Alligator confirmed multiple parents complained to UF Health about the waiting room’s state Saturday, including Weingarten’s mother, Abby Weingarten. Her daughter tested negative, but she said she was ultimately more concerned that her child would get sick from the waiting room itself. “I was nervous as it is for her to go up to UF,” Abby Weingarten said. “When she first started not to feel well, we were like ‘Oh, my God, she got it already.’ I was a wreck.” When Emily Weingarten arrived that evening, the staff first tested her blood. Then, they tested her for COVID-19. She was sent back out into the crowded waiting room to wait for the results. But she was uncomfortable with the idea of herself — or any other patient — being told to wait around others while any of them might have COVID-19. “After I was tested, I went and sat back out normally, which I thought was weird,” she said. “I didn’t think I had COVID-19, but if I did, then I just kind of sat back out there with everyone.” Emily Weingarten was accompanied by her friend, Mia Marks, a 21-year-old UF journalism senior. Both said they were surprised by the lax screening and disregard for social distancing in the waiting room.

Marks entered separately after dropping Emily Weingarten off at the entrance. They both said they had their temperatures checked with a forehead thermometer upon entry, but beyond that, the screening was minimal. Despite UF Health’s protocol requiring visitors be stopped and screened for symptoms, Marks said she was given a visitor’s sticker and directed to the ER after only having her temperature taken. At about 8:30 p.m., Marks left to get dinner. About an hour later, she returned to the waiting room but was surprised when none of the hospital workers acknowledged her entering. “No one asked me who I was, no one stopped to see if I was a visitor or a patient or anything,” she said. “I could just walk right on in and right on out, and that part kind of scared us a little bit.” A worker placed a coughing woman sitting in a wheelchair across from another patient because space was so limited, Emily Weingarten said. This led to that patient complaining about being coughed on. The woman sitting in the wheelchair had a mask on — as did most of the people in the waiting room, both Marks and Emily Weingarten said — but the other patient still felt uncomfortable being seated in front of her.

Some seats in the waiting room had laminated pieces of paper on them marking spaces reserved for social distancing. The open spots appeared to be two seats apart, but Marks was unsure, because many patients disregarded signs loosely placed on the seats. “People the entire night were picking them up, throwing them on the floor and putting them on the chair next to them and sitting wherever they wanted,” she said. “So it was kind of like there was no point in it.” Marks left the waiting room Sunday around 3 a.m., and Weingarten followed soon after. UF students continue to receive email after email detailing how they ought to remain confident in returning this Fall because of the extensive safety protocols and measures in place, Marks said. “But if this is the first indication of how things are going to go, it does not make me feel hopeful about the semester,” Marks said. Have a tip for a health story? Fill out a form here, or contact Thomas Weber at 813-545-9113.

@thomasjohnweber tweber@alligator.org

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 ALLIGATOR 5

County commission could reduce capacity INDOOR GATHERINGS COULD BE REDUCED FROM 50 TO 10 PEOPLE

By Tristan Wood Alligator Staff Writer

The Alachua County Commission could decrease its indoor gathering limit to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as soon as Aug. 31. County Commissioner Robert Hutchinson said he will review an amendment to the county’s emergency order that will change its person limit on indoor gatherings, such as house parties, from 50 to 10 people Monday morning. He didn’t say whether he will approve the amendment or if there’s a deadline for him to make the decision. The county attorney will meet with UF and Gainesville lawyers in the afternoon on Aug. 31 to discuss adding text to the order to address enforcement of the occupancy limit, Hutchinson said. Commissioners will focus on how to enforce the occupancy limit without infringing on residents’ 4th Amendment rights at the Monday meeting, Hutchinson said. The amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures from the government and requires law enforcement obtain search warrants before searching property. They will discuss requiring permits for social gatherings, Hutchinson said. These permits would require residents to affirm they will keep gatherings at a 10 person maximum, he added. Hutchinson didn’t specify any details about the permit process. While the attorneys may draft both amendments, Hutchinson will make the decision to accept them. The county commission voted Aug. 26 to instruct the county’s attorney to draft the amendment. Outdoor gatherings in enclosed backyards or areas where social distancing is difficult will remain limited to 50 people. The county’s current COVID-19 emergency order, which must be renewed each week, expanded the indoor gathering limit from 10 people to 50 on July 2. This occurred when Alachua County transitioned into Phase 2 of the business reopening plan included in an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The changes to the order will not impact occupancy limits of businesses, which are currently set at 50% capacity, but can limit the amount of people per table at a restaurant, Hutchinson said. The changes also won’t impact UF’s campus or football games because the university operates outside of the county’s jurisdiction.

@TristanDWood twood@alligator.org

UF athletes, others protest police brutality MEMBERS OF UF’S MEN AND WOMEN BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL AND GYMNASTICS TEAMS WERE IN ATTENDANCE

By Tristan Wood and Diane Hernandez Alligator Staff Writers

Scottie Lewis, a member of the UF men’s basketball team, told more than 200 protesters Friday evening about his fear of being a victim of police brutality as a Black man. “I’m afraid one day my mom will receive a call that her son was killed or beaten for nothing he did wrong, but because of how society sees him,“ the 20-year-old telecommunication and political science sophomore said. More than 200 masked people gathered Friday evening at the intersection of University Avenue and 13th Street and marched downtown to Bo Diddley Community Plaza to protest the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, a Black man shot by police while entering his car after he was tased. Gainesville demonstrators crowded into the corner under an archway and chanted as cars stopped at red lights and continued on. Some commuters raised a fist out of their windows, while others shouted at the protesters. Scottie wasn’t the only student athlete at the protest. Members of UF’s men and women basketball, football and gymnastics teams were in attendance. Head Football Coach Dan Mullen also marched. The demonstration also occurred on the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington, where thousands gathered to demand civil rights for Black Americans and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his well-known “I Have a Dream” speech. The Gainesville protest was one of several nationally held on the anniversary, including a gathering of thousands of people in Washington D.C. While 15 to 20 people usually attended

summer protests organized by Gainesville for Social Justice, Friday evening’s demonstration was the first large one as UF students are returning to campus for the Fall, said Amanda Lewis, an administrator for the group that organized the event. The local group, made up of more than 1,000 members, organized more than 15 protests this summer, said Amanda Lewis, a 27-year-old UF criminology, law and society doctoral student. Previous events ran alongside national ones after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man murdered by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25. The protest was the most recent in a string of weekly local Black Lives Matter demonstrations focused on police brutality against people of color. During Friday’s protest, Scottie Lewis said the goals set forth in King’s speech haven’t yet been achieved. “The fact we are still trying to fight for that dream to become a reality is crazy,” he said. The protest began at around 6:15 p.m. Protesters carried cardboard signs with phrases like “Black Lives Matter,” and “No Justice, No Peace” etched on the surfaces with sharpies or brushed on with paint. The Florida seal on the pavement outside Heavener Hall was decorated with candles and flowers. Chants including “Say his name: Jacob Blake” engulfed University Avenue as protesters blocked the eastward right lane. Gainesville Police cars followed behind as some passing cars honked in support. Some onlookers hurled insults at the protesters, but they marched on, raising the volume of their chants to block out the heckles. Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down after being shot in the back several times by police officer Rusten Sheskey in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Sunday. Blake is alive but paralyzed from the waist down and still hospitalized, according to his father, Jacob Blake Sr. Scottie led marchers during the protest. He told The Alligator he was there to raise awareness about systemic racism. “There is a lot of people who don’t believe

what is going on is actually happening,” he said. This protest wasn’t his first. Scottie Lewis said he organized protests this summer in areas around his hometown, Bronx, New York. To Scottie Lewis, attending and running protests allows him to be an advocate for the unheard. Athletes should play a part in sparking political change because they have one of the strongest combined voices in the country because of their large social media presence, Scottie Lewis said. They can use this platform to speak out against injustice, he added. “People forget we were people before we were players,” he said. “We have experiences people think we didn’t have to go through because of who we are.” Alex Magee, an 18-year-old UF exploratory engineering freshman and gymnast, marched alongside other athletes who came out after receiving an email from UF’s Black Student Athlete Council. She joined the protest because she, her younger brother, 16-year-old Macaire Magee, and her father, 56-year-old Michael Magee, could be victims of police brutality because they’re Black, she said. “We shouldn’t have to be begging people to treat us fairly or equally,” she said. When the crowd arrived at Bo Diddley Plaza, they held an eight-minute-and-46second long moment of silence in honor of George Floyd. Most protesters sat down, some bowed their heads. The only noise in the plaza was made by leaves rustling in the wind and cars passing by. “We are asking to be seen as people,” Scottie Lewis told the crowd after the moment of silence. The crowd then marched back to the intersection, and the chants slowly faded.

@TristanDWood twood@alligator.org @dianehern19 dhernandez@alligator.org SEE PHOTOS OF BLM, PAGE 10

A guide to masking up in Gainesville: Rules, consequences, how to HOW, WHEN AND WHERE TO WEAR FACE MASKS By Aurora Martinez Contributing Writer

As of Sunday, more than 5,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Alachua County, according to the Florida Department of Health. So, here’s a guide to wearing a mask in the county and at UF to minimize the spread of the virus. What is UF saying? All students, faculty, staff and visitors are required to wear face masks everywhere on campus, according to UF guidelines. Exceptions include in private offices, private workspaces with adequate physical barriers, work areas away from others and in well-ventilated outdoor areas where people are at least six feet apart. What if I live or eat on campus? Students who live or dine on campus must wear face coverings at dining facilities and at UF residence halls when in common areas, hallways and outside of rooms. At student recreation and fitness centers, gym-goers are also expected to wear face masks and maintain social distance. Looking to meet up with your study

group? The rules have changed. UF libraries require study buddies to wear face coverings during the entire duration of their stay and follow the already set social-distanced seatings and workstations. People are not allowed to eat or drink in the buildings except for bottled water and water fountains. UF libraries’ capacity is limited. Students are encouraged to check the library’s occupancy status site before their arrival. Additionally, group study rooms in all the libraries will be closed throughout the Fall. What about Alachua County regulations? People visiting supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies and other locations where social distancing is not possible should wear face masks that cover their mouth and nose orifices, according to the Alachua County COVID-19 Community Resource Portal. What about restaurants? At all bars and restaurants, staff must wear facial coverings during all in-person interactions with the public. They are allowed to operate at 50% occupancyand social distancing is still required. All customers must wear facial coverings, including when visiting the restroom. The only exception is while actively consuming food and beverages.

Are there any exceptions? Alachua County exempts children under 6-years-old from wearing face masks. People who have trouble breathing due to a chronic pre-existing condition or individuals with a documented or demonstrable medical problem are also exempt from wearing a mask or face covering indoors. Can I visit Alachua County libraries? Libraries only have curbside service available from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday at all locations. Classes, programs and any other kind of events have been suspended. One-hour computer appointments and 15-minute copier appointments are available Monday through Saturday at all Alachua County libraries. Visitors must schedule an appointment, complete a health screening at their arrival, wear a face covering and practice social distancing. How are buses running? The Alligator previously reported that RTS buses will be carrying a maximum of 20 passengers instead of 60 passengers. Bus drivers, maintenance workers and passengers are required to wear a mask while on board UF public transport vehicles, including RTS buses and SNAP vans, according to Scott Fox, the senior director of UF Transportation

and Parking Services. What happens if I don’t wear a mask? With the GATORSAFE app, anyone in the Gainesville community can report people on campus not wearing masks or not social distancing. People can do it anonymously or provide their name and UF will go to the violators and educate them on the matter. If students continue failing to follow UF COVID-19 guidance, their violations can result in loss of privileges, expulsion or suspension. UF spokesperson Steve Orlando told The Alligator UF will handle violations on a case-by-case basis. At Alachua County and UF libraries, people who choose not to follow the guidelines will be asked to leave. Alachua County can fine residents anywhere from $125 to $500 for violating the order to wear face masks, depending on if the person is a repeat offender. Where can I get a face mask? Alachua County says there is no need to buy face masks. The COVID-19 Community Resource Portal says there are YouTube videos on how to make them from materials that can be found at home such as scarves, bandanas or T-shirts. UF is providing “Gator Care Kits” to all students, which include two washable and reusable UF face masks. Stu-

dents can pick up their kits at different locations on campus, including GatorWell at the Reitz Union, Newell Hall and Southwest Recreation Center. Kits are available until Oct. 2. Disposable masks are also sold for $1.50 each in more than 50 vending machines located across campus. Students who use their Gator 1 Card to purchase will receive a $0.50 discount. Francesca DeVito, a UF biomedical engineering senior, designed and created “gator mouth” face masks. Masks can be purchased on RedBubble for $12 each and all profits will be donated to Generational Relief in Prosthetics (GRiP), a UF student organization that designs 3-D assistive devices and adaptive technology for people with upperlimb differences, DeVito said. How do I put on, remove and clean face masks? According to the CDC, you should wash your hands before putting a mask on. To remove, wash your hands before and after touching the used mask. Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not reuse singleuse masks. Reusable/washable masks should be washed as regular laundry after each use.

@AuroraCeciliaM amartinez@alligator.org

6 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020

What school will look like for ACPS students LESS THAN HALF OF THE USUAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO IN-PERSON LEARNING By Sophie Feinberg Alligator Staff Writer

Students are heading back to school Aug. 31 — whether in classrooms, live Zoom sessions or a flexible online program. The changes brought out by a pandemic-ridden world have left parents, students and teachers with questions about what school days will look like. Some health experts warned against opening schools unless the COVID-19 infection rate is under 5 %. Alachua County reached a 14-day positive rate under 5 % on Aug. 25. Alachua County Public Schools will offer in-person learning, a Digital Academy with live instruction and Alachua eSchool with self-paced online learning. Brick-and-mortar classrooms In classrooms, schools are expecting 46 % of students, or about 12,500, to return in person, said Jackie Johnson, ACPS spokesperson. This drop is largely due to COVID-19. For Lua Lepianka, a 45-year-old mother of two elementary-school-aged children, her choice to avoid classrooms was to prioritize safety. While she understands in-person classes help children socialize, she said she chose Alachua eSchool because the classroom is different now. “My kids definitely miss their friends,” she said. “But, I just don’t think it’s safe to be with large groups of children.” Despite an Aug. 24 ruling from a Leon County Circuit Court judge saying that schools aren’t required to open, Johnson said ACPS is retaining its plans. About 40 % of ACPS teachers aren’t comfortable with inclass learning. Some teachers worry they risk their lives in the classroom and others fear what being forced to go back to work means for immunocompromised family members.

Families and staff will receive same-day notifications of positive cases, she said. The county will release an ACPS COVID-19 dashboard listing active cases by school Monday. ACPS ordered about 600,000 disposable and washable masks for children and adults, Johnson said. Teachers were given packages with masks, gloves, face shields and a notouch thermometer, Johnson said. Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms will be kept in isolation until they can be picked up. Joe Waddell, a 10th grade Gainesville High School biology teacher, said he fears the care package won’t last beyond the first week. Waddell is teaching four in-person classes and one Alachua Digital Academy biology class. He’s also offering an elective where he will have students online and in the classroom simultaneously. As a biology teacher, Waddell said he’s uncomfortable skirting guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommend social distancing at least six feet, which he can’t do with the size of his room and the number of his students. “I feel like a hypocrite,” he said. “I’m trying to teach kids that we need to use evidence and critical thinking, and yet, here we are just flat out ignoring it.” Every morning, parents and ACPS staff members will screen for COVID-19 symptoms at home, Johnson said. Parents can’t come into schools. Students and staff must wear masks that cover their mouth and nose except when on an outdoor mask break, eating or drinking, she said. Desk dividers and school plans for traffic flow during lunch time will enforce social distancing. Classes may be held outdoors. To disinfect schools properly, ACPS trained custodians and purchased specialized equipment and supplies, like electrostatic sprayers that sanitize wide areas with droplets of cleaner, Johnson said. Schools will also have their own cleaning checklists for high touch areas. ACPS worked with the county health department and the COVID-19 Science and Medical Advisory Committee, a local group

of UF health experts, to develop protocols for an outbreak. The school district also has rapid tests with a 24-hour turnaround time. Alachua Digital Academy About 42 % of students will learn through the Alachua Digital Academy with synchronous learning, Johnson said. This means students follow the usual school day and attend classes live. Students’ zoned schools have been distributing laptops and books. There are worries about the possibility of technical issues, like when Zoom went down last week, Johnson said. “That happens when you’re using technology and when you’re relying so heavily on technology,” she said. “So we’re just going to have to be flexible and deal with those situations as they come.” Students in the Digital Academy will be able to pick up meals through the National School Lunch Program, Johnson said. There are 17 sites around the district for distributing meals.

Students in the virtual academy can participate in clubs and sports or use the mental health and specialized services available through their zoned schools, she said. Services like therapies will also be provided online. Alachua eSchool Alachua eSchool has existed for about eight years and will operate the same as it has in the past with no specific COVID-19 changes, Johnson said. About 12 % of students will learn through this platform. Students in Alachua eSchool aren’t eligible for the National Free School Lunch program but can go to zoned schools for a laptop, she said. They will lose their spot in a magnet program. Students don’t have to follow a school day schedule and can take classes at their own time and location, as noted on the website. Tutorials and technology assistance will be available.

Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff

Masked, distant move-in week ends for UF Housing UF STUDENTS RETURN TO CAMPUS WITH NEW MOVE-IN GUIDELINES DUE TO COVID-19 By Jack Prator Alligator Staff Writer

UF opened its doors to 5,800 students living in on-campus housing as other universities closed their doors in response to COVID-19 spikes. Students who began filing into UF on-campus dorms on Aug. 21 were met with reminders of COVID-19 precautions. Flyers promoting face masks covered every entranceway and bottles of hand-sanitizer were stocked in every stairwell. This semester, dorms campus-wide will be at 73 % occupancy, as opposed to past semesters with full occupancy, wrote Sara Tanner, UF Student Affairs marketing and communications director, in an email. This comes less than a month after UF’s plan to hold 35 % of Fall classes in-person was announced. The move-in window spanned 12 days, from Aug. 18 to 30, compared to

the usual four days. Students signed up for a two-hour move-in appointment during which a luggage cart, sanitized after every use, could be checked out at the area desk. Two guests were allowed to aid the student during the move-in, per UF Housing guidelines. If a student brought more than two guests, UF housing asked they wait in the car. This, coupled with the fact that fewer students are living on campus this semester, would allow students to better practice social distancing, Tanner wrote. On campus, students and move-in guests alike appeared to be following these precautions. Caleb Pate, an 18-year-old UF physics freshman, recently moved into Beaty Towers, a double-occupancy dorm, each more than 10 stories tall. Beaty Towers is one of the oldest housing complexes on campus made up of two buildings housing approximately 750 beds. Tanner wrote that limiting triple rooms, not double occupancy rooms was the priority. This means Pate and other occupants of Beaty Towers have

three other suitemates, the same as past semesters. Beaty Towers are currently about 75 % occupied, leaving some vacancies, Tanner wrote. She did not confirm whether students would be spread out among the remaining rooms available. Pate lives with three other students, including his floor’s residence assistant, who he shares a bathroom and kitchen with. “Thankfully, the people I room with are pretty compliant with precautions, although that may not be the case for everyone,” Pate wrote in an email. Every student and parent Pate saw wore their masks inside, he said. When they were outside, though, it seemed about half and half. Directly across from him, in Beaty West, PJ Foreman, an 18-year-old UF aerospace engineering freshman, also found comfort in his peers abiding by the mask mandate. He estimated that five out of the seven rooms in his hall were occupied, and that he feels comfortable with his ability to social distance in the common areas. “Everyone had a mask and every-

@feinberg_sophie sfeinberg@alligator.org

one was pretty far apart, they spaced everything really nicely, which made it feel safe for me and my family to move in and up the elevators and everything,” Foreman said. Foreman said he was surprised by how well moving into his 13th-floor room went with use of the elevator. Not everyone moving into Beaty this past week was as lucky. Dayanna Peek, an 18-year-old UF international studies freshman, found herself in the elevator alone for 45 minutes waiting for the Gainesville Fire Rescue to arrive. “It was terrible,” Peek said. “I read about it online, but didn’t actually think it would happen to me.” Besides getting trapped in the elevator, Peek, who moved in with the help of her mother, 42, and greatgrandfather, 84, felt comfortable with the move-in process. She said RAs patrolled to make sure everyone had their mask on. Checking out a cart was easy and the time allotted to move-in was enough, she said. Students could push their items in the luggage cart but were required to follow a rule that

limited elevator passengers to one party of three or fewer at a time. Kendra Westmoreland, a 19-yearold UF psychology and English sophomore, doesn’t remember seeing anyone without a mask during her move-in experience at Lakeside Residential Complex. “There are multiple stairwells in one building, and not everyone has to take the elevator,” Westmoreland said. “So it feels like it’s definitely a larger space that has more area to social distance.” UF mask mandates were extended to cover the move-in period and will continue to be in place throughout the Fall semester. On-campus housing staff is counting on compliance with this among many other new rules this Fall semester in keeping the campus safe, Tanner wrote. “Our entire community is responsible for helping to enforce rules,” Sara Tanner wrote. “We encourage students to say something to their peers if they see behaviors not being upheld.”

@jack_prator jprator@alligator.org

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 ALLIGATOR 7

8 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020

Inside a changing industry: Breweries HOW THE LOCAL CRAFT BEER INDUSTRY IS TRYING TO ADAPT TO A CHANGING WORLD

By Nora O’Neill Alligator Staff Writer

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kyle Cargill said the craft beer industry was going “up and up.” Now, many local breweries may not survive. Cargill, 24, is the co-owner of the Gainesville Beer Society, a community group dedicated to supporting local breweries. Usually, the society promoted the local craft beer scene through social media and beersampling events. Now, its members spend their time trying to save local breweries from going out of business.

Falling in a gray area between restaurants, bars and manufacturing companies, Cargill said breweries have taken a lot of heat this year. Like restaurants and bars, local breweries were allowed to re-open for on-site consumption in early June as part of the second phase of Florida’s reopening plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, after a state uptick in positive coronavirus cases, bars, and therefore most breweries, were forced to close again after just a couple of weeks. But breweries aren’t really bars, explained Anna Heineman, who is one of four owners of Cypress & Grove Brewing Company located at 1001 NW Fourth St. in Gainesville. Breweries are first and foremost manufacturing plants, Heineman said. Taproom sales simply give breweries an income to fuel the plants. Without taproom sales,

Aubrey Bocalan // Alligator Staff

there isn’t enough money to manufacture. Cargill said before COVID-19, it made more sense for breweries to classify themselves as bars rather than manufacturers, because they allowed customers to drink their product on the premises. Now that restaurants are allowed to open in some capacity for on-site consumption, breweries are suffering even more as people prefer to leave their houses and drink at a restaurant over staying in and drinking local beer, Cargill said. Consequently, many breweries are fighting to change their classification from bar to restaurant. This requires obtaining a food license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Cargill said before the pandemic, the only brewery in town with a food license was Big Top Brewing. Since then, numerous Gainesville breweries have obtained a food license. Heineman said Cypress & Grove obtained its license early August and has already felt the impact of reopening. “The food license has been so helpful because we could have people back in our space again,” Heineman said. While getting the license has improved business since the start of the pandemic, Heineman said the brewery is still suffering. Large events, which were previously a major source of revenue, can no longer be held. Although applying for the license is expensive and time consuming, Heineman said the brew-

ery doesn’t actually have to sell any food to get approved, although he does anyway. She said the brewery just had to have a designated area which meets the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s guidelines for a suitable kitchen. “The DBPR said ‘If you want to open, apply for a food license, and we’ll approve it,’” Cargill said. “Which again, doesn’t make much sense, because if that’s all you need to do, then why do you have to do it in the first place?” Contrary to this, Patrick Fargason, deputy communications director at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation wrote in an email to The Alligator that “serving food is a fundamental prerequisite for a food service license.” The department’s website says that to file for a license a company must submit a completed application, a scale drawing of the floor plan with all equipment labeled and a sample menu. Regardless of the license’s legitimacy, Cargill said it’s imperative small breweries get a food license and start selling beer for on-site consumption. It is the only way they can survive the pandemic, he added. While the future seems bleak for small breweries without a food license, more established breweries who have greater resources and often sell their product in grocery stores, like First Magnitude Brewing Company, are doing well without opening for on-site consumption. Simon McClung, First Magnitude’s chief brand officer, wrote in an email to The Alligator that since the shut-down, First Magnitude has been operating as a drive-thru. Guests are able to drive through the building and look at how the

beer is made. “It’s a really fun setup many have seemed to enjoy,” McClung wrote. Another issue breweries are facing is the struggle to obtain necessary supplies from distributors. “There have been ebbs and flows from various suppliers,” McClung wrote. They struggled to obtain rubbing alcohol, gloves, and more recently, blank beer cans. This is because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a dramatic increase in the demand for canned beverages, Cargill said. Amid all the struggles local breweries are facing, groups like the Gainesville Beer Society and its counterpart, the Tallahassee Beer Society, have continued to help support the industry. One such effort is what Cargill calls “beer runs.” People elsewhere in the state place orders from Gainesville breweries and then Cargill will deliver the beer to them. He said that during the last beer run he delivered around $1,300 worth of beer to people in the Tampa Bay area. While Cargill said that college students returning to UF’s campus won’t save the local industry as undergraduate students generally lack interest in craft beer, both Cargill and Heineman recognize that local breweries are best supported by people in the community. “You can start by purchasing local beer, first and foremost,” Heineman said. “If you don’t support the breweries that are in your community right now, when we need it most, they may not be there when this is all over.”

@noroneill noneill@alligator.org

Sororities celebrate Bid Day with masks on but not socially distanced UF SORORITIES HOSTED INPERSON EVENTS THURSDAY TO WELCOME NEW MEMBERS By Lianna Hubbard Alligator Staff Writer

Pop music and UF students filled Sorority Row Thursday. Although masks appeared to be on nearly every student, social distancing was rare during the outdoor events. Hundreds of UF students visited Sorority Row from noon until 8:40 p.m. in staggered groups throughout Thursday to celebrate Bid Day, the end of Panhellenic sororities’ recruitment. Potential new members were offered “bids” to join one of the 18 sororities the UF Panhellenic Council oversees. Almost all Panhellenic sororities held celebrations for their new members. The Panhellenic Council hosted a fully virtual rush week, when potential new members chose their sororities, this Fall. Sororities could host in-person events on Bid Day, as long as they followed UF, state and federal guidelines, according to their recruitment plans. All in-person Bid Day events had an option for students to participate virtually, according to the Panhellenic Council’s plans. New and old members wearing masks huddled together for photos, hugged and chatted in circles without six feet between

them. Small groups of women took their masks off to eat catered food outdoors within six feet of each other. Six UPD officers patrolled the area throughout the day, but did not enforce UF’s social distancing policies at the events because members of Sorority and Fraternity Affairs were present to do so, said UPD Officer Kenneth Motes. The officers were there to “provide security for the event should anything arise that needed law enforcement,” Motes said. Alpha Chi Omega’s DJ, who was seen to not be wearing a mask, blasted pop music and remixes to the street from the front steps of the chapter’s house. Brigitt Palomino, an 18-year-old UF finance freshman, joined Alpha Chi Omega Thursday and attended her sorority’s celebration. “I’m not worried so much about social distancing,” she said. “I feel like if everyone is wearing a mask, it’s safe.” Experts disagree with Palomino. The Center for Disease Control website states that COVID-19 spreads between people in close proximity to each other for prolonged periods. Masks do help limit the spread of the virus, especially when people are not social distancing. The highest risk events are large gatherings where it is difficult for individuals to remain spaced out, according to the CDC’s gathering and event guidelines.

Vice President of Student Affairs D’Andra Mull wrote in an email to UF students Aug. 21 that parities on campus could result in consequences like loss of privileges for students or student organizations, expulsion or suspension. In an Aug. 28 email to students, Mull wrote that off-campus, indoor gatherings of 11 or more people who don’t live together is unacceptable. Motes said members came in staggered groups of 25 to their sorority houses every 30 minutes to allow for social distancing. UPD officers were stationed on Sorority Row from noon to 8 p.m. along with three staff members from UF Transportation and Parking at the request of UF’s Sorority and Fraternity Affairs, Motes said. Sorority Row, SW 9th Avenue, was blocked off for the events. UF allows on-campus gatherings with new COVID-19 safety precautions, according to a July 1 policy. Social distancing of six feet must be at outdoor and indoor events, according to the policy. UF limits attendance for on-campus indoors events to 50 people. A food truck and tent serving gelati, a mixture of ice cream and Italian ice, catered to Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Kappa sisters. BZ Gelati’s owner, Brandon Grabhorn, said the truck and tent served more than 300 women from the two sororities throughout the day. He said all of the employees wore masks and gloves.

Grabhorn said he discussed safety measures with Alpha Chi Omega and Sigma Kappa before agreeing to cater their event. He said that students approached the truck and ate their gelati in groups of 10 and observed social distancing in line. Outside the food truck, small groups of students ate gelati with their masks off less than six feet apart. After rushing over Zoom, Palomino met her new sisters in person for the first time Thursday. Palomino said Alpha Chi Omega did not host all of the new members at once, but had four shifts of new members staggered throughout the day. She was part of the last shift from 8 p.m. to 8:40 p.m, she said. During her shift, Palomino said there were about 35 students inside the chapter house at once, including new and old members. Palomino met her new sisters and toured her chapter’s house during her shift. She said everyone wore masks and tables and chairs in the house were spread out for social distancing. Small friend groups sometimes stood together within six feet of each other. “I had a blast,” she said. “I felt like I was at home with all of them.”

@HubbardLianna lhubbard@alligator.org

MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2020 www.alligator.org/opinions

Editorial

Column

Snitches go to heaven, partiers go to hell

ny UF student will be able to tell you what six times six is: 36, the score they got on the ACT — but how come no one at UF seems to be able to figure out what six feet for social distancing looks like? Because UF pushed back the start of its school year by a week, we have been able to witness a multitude of cautionary tales provided by other universities who were (1) foolish enough to reopen and (2) unable to get their students to mask up and social distance. From what we have seen from our time back on campus and around Gainesville, we have little reason for optimism that UF will turn out any differently from its peers. There has been no shortage of photos on Instagram and other social media platforms of sorority sisters standing shoulder to shoulder and cheek to cheek, violating social distancing requirements. A Gainesville Sun photographer captured an eyebrow-raising photo of a group of eight sorority sisters meeting in the Reitz Union who dragged together chairs that were originally separated to promote social distancing. If UF’s fraternities are anything like their counterparts at other universities, we’re in trouble. UF’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) is planning a “limited in-person recruitment process” that involves “lunches and nightly events.” What could possibly go wrong? Notably, IFC has a cap of 50 men in a house or recruitment location at one time, which is actually less strict than Alachua County’s emergency order, which limits occupancy of non-essential places to “fifty individuals or 50% of permitted occupancy load, whichever is less.” IFC’s safety standards for recruitment could be seen as more lax than what is actually legal off-campus — certainly so if the Alachua County Commission decreases the indoor gathering limit to 10 people on Monday. Anyhow, given the overt failure of fraternity risk managers in preventing sexual misconduct, what makes any of us think they’ll be any bit talented at enforcing crowd sizes and social distancing in their houses? Are our administrators any better at this social distancing thing? No. Our Vice President for Student Affairs, who has justly threatened us with expulsion for failing to follow behavioral expectations, can be seen standing almost shoulder to shoulder with other prominent university administrators in not one, not two but three separate Instagram posts. `Rona doesn’t look the other way when people crowd together for a photo. Even UF’s main website displays a photo in which you can clearly see multiple people sitting at the same table, not practicing social distancing. The irony is not lost on us that it was UF researchers who successfully isolated live viruses from aerosols collected at a distance of seven to 16 feet from COVID-19 patients, yet somehow neither students nor administrators can figure out what social distancing six feet apart from one another looks like? There is little preventing us from meeting a fate similar to our peer institutions. In fact, we are likely worse off than other state institutions such as UCF and FSU; they are testing students who are moving back on campus in addition to other groups such as all students and staff residing in on-campus Greek housing. And us? Well, let’s just say we agree with the memes that hint at how lackadaisical UF’s screening process is. In case you haven’t noticed, people — including young kids with no preexisting conditions — are dying. If you don’t like that, we are pleased to inform you that there are additional ways to save a life beyond giving blood and joining a bone marrow registry. We, the Editorial Board of The Independent Florida Alligator, are not optimistic enough to believe that anything we write would get a Chad to put the beer keg down or make a Karen mask up. Thus, we can recommend only one action to our readers: Report any and all violations of behavioral expectations to UF and Alachua County. You may be familiar with the saying that “snitches get stitches” but keep your mouth shut, and people are going to be ending up on ventilators. We don’t think people are taking behavioral expectations seriously, and we need you to report those people to UF so UF can publicly punish them to dissuade future behavior. The form to report violations of UF’s behavioral expectations can be found online, or you can use the GATORSAFE app. The form to report an emergency order violation can be found online, or you can call 311. Sing like a canary in a COVID coal mine. If you don’t, we may all be having some breathing difficulties very soon. Kyle Wood

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Dana Cassidy

NEWS MANAGING EDITOR

April Rubin

ENGAGEMENT MANAGING EDITOR

Rosmery Izaguirre Zachariah Chou

DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR

OPINIONS EDITOR

Opinions are back! Here’s why s some of you may have noticed, The AlThis coming semester is going to be a tough ligator has not had a very active opinions one. While there are countless uncertainties at play, section these past couple of months as ediI am certain that The Alligator’s opinions section will tors worked to reformulate how the space be here for you. The Alligator’s Editorial Board will could best serve the community we serve. also be weighing in from time to time on important Hello world! My name is Zachariah Chou and I am issues affecting UF students and the Gainesville thrilled to be serving as The Independent Florida Alcommunity at large in what’s bound to be a historic ligator’s Opinions Editor this Fall. semester. Zachariah After taking into account feedback from our Looking to submit guest columns or letters to Chou readers, we will be actively working to fill our section the editor? Here is what you need to know. zchou@alligator.org more with perspectives from community members as opposed to regular columnists. We hope that by For columns: doing so, we will be able to share perspectives not often heard Columns are typically 500 to 750 words and amplify the voices of those actively working to improve our Columns typically have a strong stance, direction and/or call community. to action For letters to the editor (LTEs):

LTEs are typically 150 to 250 words LTEs are typically in response to published Alligator articles Interested in writing a column? Want to send in a letter? Email zchou@alligator.org and I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

Shannon Ahern // Alligator Staff

Zachariah Chou is a political science and journalism senior. He serves as The Independent Florida Alligator’s Opinions Editor.

Column

A historic (and fun) academic year

elcome, students! orange and blue if students signed the COVID safety Whether you’re returning to UF, repledge, #IPledgeFlorida. cently graduated from high school, atI announced that if 95% of the student body tended college elsewhere or have arrived signed the pledge, I would shave my head AND dye from another country, I am so pleased the left side orange and the right side blue. you are at UF. As of Friday, more than 10,000 students had This is a historic academic year. signed the pledge – which is an amazing number, It is the first year in over a century when we have but not 95%. However, in honor of those who signed, Kent Fuchs begun classes during a pandemic. It is the first year opinions@alligator.org and just for fun, I will dye my hair orange and blue when so many classes are online. It is an abnormally this week. active hurricane year and a presidential election year. And now the students of FSU and UF have agreed It is a year when we’re all asking, “What could be next?” on a new challenge. I have two goals for this historic academic year. We won’t play FSU in football this year, unless we meet in a My first goal is that we live and learn successfully amid CO- bowl game. However, we are going to compete to see which uniVID-19. My second goal is that we experience joy, have fun and versity can get the most new student signatures on their COVID share a great year together. pledges — UF’s #IPledgeFlorida versus FSU’s #PledgeTLH. I know that my two goals may sound unreasonable to stuThe president of the losing school will have to wear the rival dents who face many pressures. Not just academic pressures, school’s colors, say “Go Noles” or “Go Gators,” and sing the rival but also pandemic pressures. school’s alma mater. I know that students face the constant need to take precauFSU President John Thrasher is a good friend and I think the tions against COVID-19 — from wearing masks that are often world of him. But with no malice in my heart, I would love to see hot and uncomfortable to avoiding the large gatherings that are President Thrasher dressed in Gator gear, shout “Go Gators!” and so much a part of college life. Not only that, but students also sing… face the pressure of being blamed if the pandemic spreads. ‘Neath the Orange and Blue victorious However, having been at UF for nearly six years, I’ve seen stuour love shall never fail dents do amazing things. There’s no other name so glorious I’ve watched students repeatedly bounce back from closures All hail, Florida, hail. and hardships due to hurricanes. I saw students leave campus The competition ends at 11:59 p.m. EDT Sept.13. The winner and rapidly transition to online classes in the Spring. I’ve met will be the school that gets the most new student signers bemany, many individual students and alumni who overcame tween today’s launch and the end of the competition, since both major life challenges to come to UF and thrive here. Because of UF and FSU already had signatures before the launch. those experiences, I know we can and will live and learn with If you haven’t signed the UF pledge for COVID safety already, great success this academic year. please do so by Sept. 13. I will be devastated if I have to say “Go And the joy and fun part? Noles” or sing anything about Garnet and Gold. I know that being intentionally joyful, smiling and laughing We can live and learn with great success and we can have fun is important to my personal well-being. I believe we will be most doing it. This is a historic year, and I look forward to making hissuccessful in living and learning in the midst of the deadly seri- tory with you. Go Gators! ous COVID virus if we all practice intentional joy. So I accepted the challenge when, earlier this month, UF StuKent Fuchs is the president of UF. You can find his monthly dent Government President Trevor Pope suggested I dye my hair column in The Alligator.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator. The Alligator encourages letters and columns from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 250 words. Columns should not exceed 750 words. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to fact-check and edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters and columns to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257. Editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.

10 ALLIGATOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020

BLM, from pg. 5

Lauren Witte // Alligator Staff

Emily Felts // Alligator Staff

A man takes a knee in remembrance of George Floyd during the eight minutes of silence held at Bo Diddley Plaza on August 28, 2020, in Gainesville.

Scottie Lewis (left), 20, the shooting guard for the UF men’s basketball team and Amol Jethwani, a volunteer for Democratic Politics, lead the march towards Bo Diddley Plaza during the Black Lives Matter protest on August 28, 2020, in Gainesville.

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Six months in, Santa Fe College’s president balances school with safety PAUL BROADIE II BLENDS ONLINE AND ON-SITE IN HIS FIRST FALL SEMESTER By Corbin Bolies Alligator Staff Writer

Santa Fe College President Paul Broadie has faced the same challenges as any new leader — plus a global pandemic. Almost immediately after the 52 year-old’s start at Santa Fe in February, he had to balance an introduction to the Santa Fe community while also keeping it safe. Six months in, he’s added an extra challenge: re-opening a school of 22,000 students under the threat of COVID-19. “Business doesn’t stop,” Broadie said. “We can’t stop as an institution due to the pandemic.” The college reopened on Aug. 24 in “Level 3” of its reopening plan, which includes remote learning for 75% of Fall courses, social distancing in place for on-campus instruction and mandatory masking. For in-person courses, the college reconfigured large spaces, such as its 606-seat Fine Arts Hall, into

make-shift classrooms, spreading out students to account for a 6-foot distance, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. “We wanted to be very intentional about the quality of the instruction that the students are going to receive,” Edward Bonahue, Santa Fe’s provost and a finalist in the presidential search, said. “If God forbid there’s another emergency, we’d be better prepared for it.” Those accomodations benefit students who cannot readily access online courses, a “digital divide” Broadie said he witnessed as the college transitioned to remote learning last Spring. To help them, Santa Fe awarded students more than $1.2 million in CARES Act funding, federal stimulus legislation passed in March, with $14 billion dedicated to higher education, according to the college. The remainder of its $3.9 million grant will be distributed over the award year. UF was allocated $31 million in funding through the CARES Act, $15.5 million of which it distributes through the Office of Student Financial Affairs. Santa Fe also established a lap-

top loaner program to provide access to technology, with 300 laptops available to students who are currently enrolled. “We stepped up to help our students, to help them continue their studies and continue to be successful,” Broadie said. Broadie also worked on a professional development initiative for faculty to become more educated with learning platforms like Canvas and Zoom. COVID-19 training has been added as a requirement for a student’s online enrollment, Broadie said, with the training informing students about the virus and how to keep themselves safe. For Broadie, integrating himself into the Santa Fe and Gainesville communities, which were new to him in February, has been key. Broadie said he partnered with the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County to provide testing to a total of 343 faculty and students, but administration stopped short of mandating it, preferring to give students the choice. He has also focused on business dealings with the Gainesville Chamber of

Emily Felts // Alligator Staff

Christopher Raye, a psychology professor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, teaches a socially-distanced inperson class on August 27, 2020. Raye said everyone’s obliged to wearing masks in class.

Emily Felts // Alligator Staff

Paul Broadie, the president of Santa Fe College, is seen on campus August 27, 2020 during the school’s first week of fall classes. Commerce, including building a relationship with GCOC president Eric Godet. “He wasn’t able to meet the community the way he would like to when you come in as a college president,” Godet said. “The goal is really to create a stronger region and better life together. Santa Fe plays such a critical role in making sure we have the talent in place.” During Broadie’s time as president of both Housatonic Community College and Gateway Community College in Connecticut for the last five years, he said he partnered with state universities like Southern Connecticut State University to develop associate-to-bachelor’s programs. This allowed undergraduates to take Southern Connecticut courses while still attending Gateway Community College. Joe Bertolino, SCSU’s president, thinks Broadie’s experience in his

prior roles makes him well-equipped for the difficulties the pandemic presents. “You’re not going to go wrong with Paul,” Bertolino said. “He’s the leader you want right now.” Senior Joudi Ayroud, 22, the president of Santa Fe’s Student Government, found that leader in Broadie. In their roles of shared governance, she holds biweekly phone calls with him, who has consulted with her on the reopening plan. “I don’t doubt his efforts,” Ayroud said. “Even with the challenges he’s facing, he’s still looking out for what’s best for everyone.”

@CorbinBolies cbolies@alligator.org

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answer on page 7 Release Date: Tuesday, Monday, August August31, 25,2020 2020

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Massage Asks for a treat, reactions as a boxer 4 5 Hungarian Site of a boxer’s stew 11 Watch attack chain 14 9 Watch Chocolate syrup 15 Entertainer brand since 1928 16 14 Make Circusfun prefix of with 17 Crowdfunding bat 15 Diva’s websitedelivery 19 16 Medicinal “This __ bath site much!”: “I’m 20 Starts overwhelmed!” a poker pot 21 17 Fabled Rental vehicles loser 22 Sporty for self-moving Pontiacs 23 19 “__ “Pleasantly” here”: “The place chubby is empty” 25 20 Recliner Presidentpart after 27 Surly Madison mutt 28 21 Squalid Mother-of-pearl 31 Stand sources for an oil, 23 Has say title to 32 25 Superman’s __ standstill 26 Tea symbol biscuit 33 29 Notable Designed period for 34 Sinclair comfort Lewis and preacher efficiency 35 Guffaw Elmer __ syllable 35 36 Civilian Pirate inactivity “Hook” 38 U.S. site during state with wartime the lowest ... and what average the annual end of 17-, rainfall 25-, 49- and 39 Horse 59-Across known canfor be 38 Sultans’ its endurance groups 41 Wed of wives 41 43 Non-neutral Not fer atom 42 44 Covert Wisdommissions teeth, 45 Deck e.g. out 46 Can’t Fabledstomach loch 48 Zodiac Stooge critter Howard with 49 Rainy horns day 49 Sprint protectors rival 51 Wander Casual from the talking conversations point 53 Virtual Contend video (for) 54 Bro game of people van Gogh 54 56 Food Dedicatee for horses of 57 Magician’s an annual MLB cry 58 “Mork tribute&game Mindy” 61 Snare planet 59 65 “The Lion’sSilence warnings 66 Lost-one’s-place of the Lambs” Oscar-winning words often actress preceded by the 61 Service two-letter charge start 62 Like of 17-, many 29- and bazaars 49-Across 63 68 Had Lakeacraft bite 64 69 Cook Bubbly-textured in oil 65 Oppressive Nestlé chocolate rule 66 What bar Dr. Leary 70 Muscle tripped on pain

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38 ourbrand 28 “Let’s Dentaltip care caps (to)queen ... ” 30 Spanish 39 who might 31 Fan Caesar’s eggs be secret 32 Molten rock 40 a hotel 33 Item Meathead guest might 34 Curved-top forget return candy to shapes on leaving 37 Mosque visitor 42 40 Relating Saloon to a planetary path 42 Exam 43 45 Portable Made changes in warehouse 47 Play division platforms 50 Wiggle room

44 the 52 Ruined Hair-removal reputation substance of 46 55 Aptly Whitenamed wader soccer shot 56 26-Down, for one 47 57 Like Rich umami’s soil taste dog breed 58 “Great” 50 59 Eccentric Suffix with Jumbo 52 12 bird 60 Yr.’s Flightless 55 Turner 62 Singer __ of lamb 56 63 Penn Tennisname great 59 Write Arthurquickly 60 Half a 64 Crusty desserts sawbuck 67 Goof up

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

08/25/2020 08/25/20 08/31/20

08/25/20 08/31/20

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 ALLIGATOR 13

Entertainment January 27, 2020

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solution below

answers below

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solution below

: PUZZLE SOLUTIONS Sports Quiz answers

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Stickelers answer

Sudoku solution

ScrabbleGrams solution

10. "Weekend at Bernie's"

5. GEICO

9. 1981

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8. Shere Khan

3. Duke

7. Eight

2. Prohibits cruel or unusual punishment

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MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 www.alligator.org/sports

Aubrey Bocalan // Alligator Staff

The Florida Gators basketball team will be one of nine playable college basketball teams in NBA 2K21’s “MyCareer” mode. The game will release worldwide on Sept. 4.

Opting out from the high-risk perspective Sports Editor Payton Titus talks about the realities of being a high-risk individual during the COVID-19 pandemic online at alligator.org/sports

For updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/sports

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020 15

FOOTBALL

Silent Saturdays: a town without football By Payton Titus Sports Writer

“When the football team’s doing well, the entire town just kind of explodes,” Chandler Small, a Gainesville resident, said on The Ringer’s Cam Chronicles podcast in July. Small is a fifth-generation Gator and manager of a memorabilia store in Gainesville. During his time in the college town, he came to realize just how much sports affect everyday life down here. “If your high school or your college is doing well, in sports, then you’re likely to see the roads by your house fixed,” Small said on the podcast. “Everyone’s just a little bit more polite. They let people merge into lanes. The entire energy of Gainesville is based on sports.” While these variables aren’t entirely quantifiable, Small did have a point: Gators sports isalmost a religion in Gainesville. But for the last five months, UF has participated in zero games, meets or matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What does that do to the psyche of such a fervent fanbase? What kind of psychological toll have all of these cancellations, impending postponements and the uncertainty surrounding fall sports right now taken on the Gator Nation? In 2014, Marci Cottingham, an assitant professor of sociology at the University of Amsterdam, published an essay on a case study of the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase. In her essay, Cottingham explained how symbols like the Terrible Towel transcended the sports world and found additional significance in major life events like birthdays, weddings and funerals. Between this and the in-person, physical closeness that attending games provides, fans are able to establish a cohesive identity linked to their favorite sports team. COVID-19, of course, has derailed this aspect of sports spectator culture. “To have physical co-presence really be disrupted right now, is kind of a problem,” Cottingham said. “I think there has been disruption to sports fandom as an identity.” When it comes to college towns like

Gainesville, Cottingham suggested that a change in community cohesion may be in the cards should this sports hiatus continue. While there’s not exactly a treasure trove of scholarly research on how pandemics impact fans, Cottingham did say that the overarching nature of COVID-19 could bring these communities together in the long run. “It’s disruptive and it’s bigger than the sport itself,” Cottingham said. “For example, I think it was in the early or late ‘90s when there was a baseball strike. I think that because that was players speaking, it really disrupted people’s ability to identify with and glorify the players. And that’s a big part of being a fan. To really look up to and lift up the people in the sport as the sport heroes.” Unlike when MLB players went on strike in 1994, COVID-19 is not an ethics issue. It’s a global health issue, and its national effects are beyond athletes’ control. Therefore, Cottingham said, the pandemic is something sports fans are going through together, rather than another moral wedge inserted between players and spectators that makes idealization of the former nearly impossible. “When players strike, it might disrupt fan identity,” Cottingham said. “But when we have the different measures in place with COVID-19, we can see that being this bigger issue that might solidify fan identity rather than disrupt it.” And nothing strengthens bonds like shared trauma. However, when it comes to the shortterm effects of not having sports, Cottingham feels that they’ll be more degenerative than possibly regenerative in the long run. “I would definitely imagine that there’s going to be increased levels of stress, levels of anxiety,” she said. “Especially if someone has an identity rooted in fandom, and they’re not able to have those connections with loved ones or friends for bonding over sports. And, that’s definitely going to be a problem.” But even now, with mask mandates becoming more prevalent nationwide and the continuous delay of live college sports, people are implementing this idea of identity through fandom and

Samantha Harrison // Alligator Staff

Quarterback Kyle Trask drops back in front of a packed crowd against Tennessee last season. This year, most SEC schools will cap their stadium capacities at about 20 to 25 percent.” transcendent game day symbols. All of this is not to say that a Gators football season won’t come to pass this fall. As of now, Florida’s season opener remains scheduled for Sept. 26 in Oxford, Mississippi, against Ole Miss. However, while UF has yet to announce any official stadium capacity figures for home games this year, Ole Miss told CBS Sports that it was capping attendance at 25 percent capacity, which equates to just over 16,000 people. That may seem like a lot of people to have congregated in one place during a pandemic, but it’s nothing compared to the typical capacity of 64,000 in Vaught Hemingway Stadium. Gators fans like Amy Lyn are holding out hope. Lyn grew up in a Florida fan household and started at UF as a sophomore after spending her first year of college at the University of Alabama. Her husband also went to UF and her daughter will be attending virtually this fall. “We’re just a big Florida fan family,” Lyn said. From 2005 to 2010, the Lyns were boosters for the football team. She said they went to just

about every game during that five-year window. This season, they decided to pick that back up. “Now that my youngest daughter is going to be a freshman there, we just bought booster tickets again before all this happened,” Lyn said. “We’re hoping to be back in the stands and make friends with the boosters around us and enjoy it on the weekends.” When asked about her daughter’s unique freshman year experience, Lyn expressed how distraught she was over sending her child off to Gainesville without any in-person classes and, possibly, no game-day fun for students. “I think not having football definitely hurts. It takes away from the college experience,” Lyn said. “The atmosphere around sports at the University of Florida just defines the culture so much. And to miss out on that, it’s heartbreaking.”

@petitus25 ptitus@alligator.org

Ortega Genesis

Does this really have to be said?

his was supposed to be a breezy editorial leaning on the camaraderie of Gators across Alachua County doing their part to suppress the spread for the sake of sports. Instead, it’s a desperate call to action from a sports writer that wants to survive this Fall semester. We want that Saturday tradition to remain entrenched in our lives. But let’s be honest, sports aren’t the epicenter of the universe. Right now, as thousands of people make their seasonal return to Gainesville, we need to remind ourselves of the fact that COVID-19 didn’t disappear into oblivion. In the last week, there were 209 confirmed positive cases, and don’t think Gainesville will be immune to the same atmospheric leaps seen in other college towns nationwide. This past summer was frustrating. Countless students lost their internships, study abroad trips and other plans that were unavoidably canceled; more were unable to fully enjoy the three-month

Florida Department of Health

break between semesters due to social distancing guidelines. But hundreds of thousands of Floridians continued to get sick, and thousands have lost their lives fighting this virus. And, no amount of stress and cabin fever justifies ignoring the social distancing guidelines that remained the standard for nearly half a year. There’s no denying that times are tough and the stress is unparalleled, but that’s no excuse to be reckless. We all have to do our part to suppress the spread of the virus, whether the motivation is to preserve sports or the communal desire to not in- Christian Ortega @unofficialchris fect others through nothing more than sheer utilitarian motivation. What cortega@alligator.org matters is an overwhelming attempt by the masses to work together rather than preserve the college experience that only increased the odds of the virus’ spread. Why? Because nobody is invincible, no matter the age. Currently, individuals aged 15 through 34 comprise an overwhelming proportion of positive cases in Alachua County with 2,437 to 5,129. Of the 5,129 cases, 309 were hospitalized and 33 died. And though some may tout the low death rate — as if that’s an excuse to take a risk — we’re still unsure of the lasting effects to the body there may be. But, there’s sufficient evidence to suggest that patients who recover from COVID-19 may develop myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or at least that’s what the National Center for Biotechnology Information said. Then, there’s the risk of developing scar tissue in the lungs, limiting the body’s ability to absorb oxygen as the damaged tissue can no longer function effectively. But before anyone jumps to arguments for natural herd immunity, know that there is evidence that individuals who recover are still at risk of reinfection, including one 25-year-old in Nevada, according to STAT news. And for those hoping for an Aaron Rogers-like Hail Mary heave in the form of a vaccine, only a handful are in the third phase of testing, and most won’t be available to the public until 2021. Why take the risk? Why cling on to the myth of the college experience? This isn’t the sniffles. Like a rock thrown in a pond, each action has a ripple effect. While it’s dangerous to take the risk with thoughts of invincibility clouding any logical judgement, understand that countless essential workers are put at risk as well. COVID-19 is bigger than sports. It’s a dangerous disease that can be suppressed through a communal effort. So, please do your part this semester. It’s really not hard.

16 MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2020